Staying In
by Ava Drake
Summary: Howince. Vince is following the latest trend - staying indoors. And he's slowly going crazy. Can Howard find a way to cheer him up?
1. Chapter 1

**Hiya. Well, I was writing my story Shaman Secret's – a NabooxSaboo story, when I realised that it was definitely going to contain Howince, so I decided to write out the Howince storyline as well. Enjoy!**

It started when the winds of fashion changed.  
Staying indoor was in, apparently. And Vince – ever one to follow trends, decided that indoors was the perfect place to stay.  
After a few hours of that though, he was climbing up the walls.  
It seemed everyone was following the trend – which, of course, meant a lack of customers to the shop. Which meant nothing interesting was happening. He sighed as Howard came into the shop.  
"Hello little man," Howard said with a hint of surprise. "What are you doing here?"  
Vince looked at him. "Cheek-Bone." He said in way of explanation.  
Howard raised an eyebrow. "Your fashion magazine told you to come into work on time?"  
Vince rolled his eyes. "Hardly. But you know, indoors is in."  
"Indoors? How can indoors be a trend?"  
Vince sighed at his friend's obvious lack of style and wondered once again how they could be friends.  
He was about to give him a proper response, when a ninja appeared from behind the counter. Vince jumped, then smiled.  
"Cheek-Bone?"  
The ninja nodded and handed him his new issue. Vince watched as the ninja disappeared once again, and then placed the issue on the counter and eagerly began flicking through it.  
Howard paused, waiting for a response, but then realised he wasn't going to get one, and shrugged. This whole indoor thing would blow over in a few days, he was sure. Vince was like that. Ever changing.  
Howard, on the other hand, was a real man. He had his own personality, regardless of what other people thought or did. Vince was the opposite side of the coin, but somehow they worked well together.  
They were friends. Though sometimes Howard wished…


	2. Chapter 2

It had been three weeks, and Vince was climbing up the walls. It was so _boring. _Doing nothing but wait. And Howard wasn't entertaining him like he should be. Whenever Vince tried to start up a conversation, Howard turned it to something boring like Jazz or Stationary. It was going to drive him insane. No customers, and Naboo had decided to take an impromptu vacation on 'Shaman Business'. Vince was sure that was just a cover though. He was probably DJ-ing or something, which Vince was incredibly jealous about. But Vince wouldn't just give up on a trend because it annoyed him. No, no. He'd been through far too much to give up now.  
It was odd though. Normally he didn't mind staying inside. It was that whole 'grass is always greener' thing. He kept imagining all the parties he _could _be going to, the people he _could _be meeting, the girls he could be _making out with._ Not that Howard would ever understand that. He knew nothing of girls. Or anything interesting, really.  
Just Jazz. And how to be incredibly fashionless. Vince sighed to himself. If only Howard would let _him _choose his clothes. Vince was almost magic when it came to make-overs. He bet he could even make Howard look cool, with a bit of work. The attitude would need changing though, he mused to himself. Howard's whole 'real man' thing was not only tiring, but it wasn't exactly a chick-magnet. In fact, Vince couldn't think of anything about Howard that was over all appealing or attractive. So why did Vince like him so much? Vince's mind flashed back to the roof, when he had kissed Howard for the first time. It wasn't planned or anything. Vince had just needed an excuse. So that he wouldn't be killed. But there had been, for a moment or two, when Vince had deluded himself into thinking that he _like-_liked Howard. But only for a minute or two. Or maybe three. But not that long. Nothing to get worried about. He had tried picturing them together, but couldn't see it. Him, with _Howard_?! He would lose all credibility in the fashion world in an instance. He shook his head to himself. And nothing was worth that. Especially one very confused moment on a bouncy castle.  
Vince was glad that he had gotten that sorted out.  
At least that was one thing good about spending so much time indoors. He had time to think and sort out any leftover feelings. Not that there were any, mind you.  
Vince bit his lip and wondered how true that was, when the shop's bell rang as a new customer entered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hiya again. Um, this chapter ties in with my story Shaman Secrets, in case you're interested/confused why I put this in. This chapter is basically the starting point for my other story. Thanks for reading!**

Howard looked up from 'Stationary Village,' while Vince glanced up from his newest issue of Cheek-Bone. They glanced over the new customer and swapped looks.  
'Well I'm not taking him,' Vince's eyes read. Just because he was bored didn't mean he was going to start charming weirdos like the customer clearly seemed to be.  
'Why do I always have to take the nutbags?' Howard asked back.  
Vince rolled his eyes and looked back at the customer. Well, he had just been complaining about boredom. "Uh, hi. Can I help you?"  
"I'm looking for Naboo." The strange man told him.  
"Uh, right. Well he's not here right now, so if you leave a message…"  
"I _must _speak to Naboo," the man repeated.  
"Yeah, well, he's not here right now," Vince repeated angrily. His temper was a bit short of late. "But if you leave a message-"  
"Uh, is there a problem here?" Howard said, finally moving away from his ridiculous Stationary Village to help.  
"Yes, I'm looking for Naboo."  
"Right, well he's out right now," Howard began explaining.  
"This is important," the man hissed.  
"Right now, sir." Howard began. "Naboo isn't here."  
"As I have heard. Regardless I must speak to Naboo."  
"Now listen sir, it just isn't possible." Howard said. Vince nodded.  
The man frowned. "Where is he then?"  
"What?" Vince chimed in.  
"Where. Is. Naboo?"  
"Well he's gone, isn't he? Buggered off somewhere." Vince replied.  
"Where?" The man asked impatiently.  
"Shaman business," Howard informed him.  
The man's eyes narrowed. "Oh really?"  
"Yes 'really'," Vince mimicked.  
"That's what he told you then?"  
"That's what he told us," Howard confirmed.  
The man scowled. "Naboo's never been serious about his role as a shaman."  
"Oh, so you're a shaman then, are you?" Vince asked skeptically.  
"I am actually."  
"Oh really?"  
"Yes really."  
"Really really?"  
"Enough!" Howard said.  
Both men backed off.  
"Well, that explains the clothes then," Vince muttered as he looked over the man's clothes. Not that he had anything against the man's clothes. It was interesting – but the whole dark cowboy look was _so _last month. Apparently this guy didn't get the memo.  
"You two are bickering like children." Howard said. "Attack of the fashion-addled men. And Naboo takes his role very seriously," he added as an afterthought.  
"He may take his role seriously," the man replied quickly. "But he knows nothing of the crunch."  
"The crunch?" Vince said. "What's that?"  
The man was about to reply when Howard cut in. "The crunch? Wait a minute – I met you before, didn't I?"  
"Maybe." The man said with a shrug.  
"Yeah, yeah, I did. You hit me with a purse!"  
"Did I?" the man asked confused.  
Howard opened his mouth to respond, then thought better of it, and shook his head. "Listen, Naboo's not here. Come back some other time."  
"Oh, I will."  
"I'll be waiting."  
"Good."  
"Good then."  
The man then turned and stalked out of the shop.  
Vince gave Howard a smile. "What was that then?"  
"What was what?" Howard asked absently as he straightened his top.  
"That."  
"That what?"  
"You were vicious." Vince praised. Finally, some entertainment.  
"I was not."  
"You were. You were in there, like a wolf. Or a cheetah. Rah. You know, I met a cheetah once. It was nice. We had tea and everything."  
"You're a strange little man Vince."  
"I'm a sunshine child," Vince corrected him.  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Howard said, rolling his eyes as he walked back to fix up his Stationary Village.  
"I mean it though!" Vince said, following Howard over. "You were good."  
Howard looked at him disbelievingly. "You need to get out more, you're beginning to rot."  
"I can't go out. You know that! It's the latest fashion! Cheek-bone told me so. It's the time to stay indoors – only the fashionless are going out nowadays."  
Howard sighed. "You and your fashions."  
"Yeah, what about them?"  
Howard shook his head and decided that he wasn't even going to bother complaining.  
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Vince said slightly annoyed, walking back to the counter, and his magazine.  
Howard rolled his eyes and began arranging his paper clips in order of colour.  
There was a silence.  
"I wonder what he wanted." Vince said aloud.  
"Huh?"  
"That man. I wonder what he wanted."  
"I dunno, Vince. Probably Shaman business."  
"Huh."  
"Better not dwell on it," Howard said.  
"Mmm," Vince said, casting one last look at the door, before returning and immersing himself into the wonderful world of Cheek-Bone.


	4. Chapter 4

It was a few days later when Naboo finally decided to return from wherever he'd been holed up for the past week. Howard had been complaining, since there was paperwork to be done that only Naboo could sign off on. Vince hadn't really been fussed. He'd decided to go through his entire wardrobe and redo the order by colour.

Naboo entered his shop and looked at the two men. "A'right."  
"Hey Naboo," Vince said, and then, as he remembered the strange guest from earlier that week, he added, "A friend of yours was round here earlier."  
"A friend?" Naboo asked, casting a look at his familiar, the ape Bollo, who shrugged.  
"Yeah. Tall man, wearing the whole dark look – you know nice hat and feathers and-" But before Vince could start a real proper explanation of the man's clothes, Howard chimed in.  
"Said he was a shaman."  
Vince shot Howard an annoyed look, who didn't notice.  
"Really?" Naboo said.  
"Saboo," Bollo grunted.  
Naboo gave Bollo a look. "Oh really?" he said sarcastically, and then frowned to himself. "Wonder what he wants."  
Bollo shrugged. "I have a bad feeling about this."  
Naboo gave him a look. "You have a bad feeling about everything. Anything specific?"  
Bollo shook his head.  
Naboo scoffed. "You're useless."  
"Sorry."  
"He said he'd be back," Vince added, wanting to be part of the conversation again.  
Naboo sighed and walked towards the staircase. "Yeah, yeah," he said unhappily.  
"I take it you're not friends then?" Howard asked.  
"Not really, yeah."  
"Saboo doesn't like anyone." Bollo clarified.  
"Yeah, he seemed like a real charmer," Howard muttered.  
"Mmm, you'd do good to stay away from him," Naboo advised.  
"Oh yeah, well I guess I'll have to cancel the party then," Vince said sarcastically. As if he'd try to befriend that guy. He was a pain.  
Naboo gave him a serious look. "I mean it. Stay away from him."  
Vince nodded, his bad mood temporarily gone. "Sure. Can't have a party anyway."  
"It's out of fashion." Howard said with a hint of mockery.  
"Whatever. I mean it. You see him round here, you tell me."  
The men nodded and Naboo went upstairs.  
"What's that about, do you think?" Howard asked.  
Vince shrugged. "Better not dwell on it," he mimicked with good humour.  
Howard pushed him. "Whatever."  
Vince gave a laugh.


	5. Chapter 5

Saboo returned a week later. Vince sighed as he looked at the man.  
"Back again then, are you?" he asked.  
"I am, actually, yes. Is Naboo in?"  
Vince sighed. "Yeah, he is, actually. I'll go get him."  
The man didn't say anything and Vince rolled his eyes as he pushed away from the counter and made his way upstairs to where Naboo and Bollo were playing a game of cards.  
"A'ight," Naboo said.  
"Hey. That guy's back."  
"What guy?" Naboo asked.  
"That shaman guy."  
"Saboo," Bollo muttered.  
"Oh." Naboo said. Then he stood up. "I win," he added, as he threw down his cards. Vince waited impatiently, as Bollo gave a grunt of annoyance and clambered to his feet. Naboo straightened his turban and went downstairs, with Bollo at his heels.  
"Saboo," Naboo began.  
"Ah, Naboo. Finally."  
"Yeah, what do you want? I'm sorta busy, you know, running a shop and all."  
"Running a shop? Your dossbags run the shop."  
"No they don't. I do stuff too."  
"Yeah, like what?"  
"Stuff, you know. Shop stuff."  
Saboo blinked. "Your shop stuff won't come in handy when it comes to the crunch."  
Naboo rolled his eyes. "Here we go, crunch this, crunch that. Why don't you get a life?"  
"Oh, it's all fun and games till it comes to the crunch." Saboo retorted.  
Naboo sighed. "Right, what you here for?"  
Saboo opened his mouth.  
"And don't say the crunch," Naboo finished.  
Saboo shut his mouth and glared at him. "This has nothing to do with the crunch, at least it is as far from the crunch as it is possible."  
Naboo raised an eyebrow. "Really?" That was new.  
Saboo frowned. "Yes, 'really'." He replied. "This is Shaman Business."  
"Yeah, what business?" Naboo said without really caring.  
"It's about…" Saboo paused, casting a suspicious glance at Vince, and leant forward towards Naboo. "the witch." He whispered.  
"The witch?" Naboo repeated.  
"Yes, the witch."  
"Which witch?" Vince asked, having snuck up beside them in the whispering. This was getting interesting. The first interesting thing to happen in the four weeks he'd been stuck inside.  
The shamans jumped at his questions.  
"_The _witch," Saboo clarified, after he composed himself.  
"She's a witch." Naboo said, in way of explanation.  
Vince frowned. "So?"  
"She's a right pain," Saboo told him. "Always getting in our way. And she knows nothing of the crunch," he added annoyed.  
Vince gave him a look. That guy was obsessed with the crunch. "Right yeah. But um, this witch…what about her?"  
"She's causing trouble."  
"What kind of trouble?" Naboo asked.  
"Trouble trouble." Saboo replied.  
There was a pause. Vince frowned.  
"What kind of trouble is that?"  
"_Bad _trouble."  
There was another pause.  
"Right, but what does that _mean?_" Vince asked.  
Saboo sighed. "It's far beyond your comprehension."  
"Right yeah, I'm sure," Vince said.  
"It is."  
"Sure."  
"I mean it."  
"I know you do."  
"I'm sure ."  
"Right!" Naboo cut in. "So, what do you want to do about her?"  
Saboo paused. "I…need your help."


End file.
